Chicago Aldermen Criticize Police For Gun, Sex Offender Registries

Chicago Ald. Ed Burke chairs a meeting of the City Council's finance committee on July 31, 2015.

Several powerful Chicago aldermen criticized the Chicago Police Department Tuesday for the way it tracks registered gun and sex offenders.

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Aldermen on the Finance and Public Safety committees had gathered to discuss how to better notify residents about the offenders on those lists, a total that 14th Ward Ald. Ed Burke questioned for being too low.

Deputy Chief Kathleen Boehmer told aldermen there are 1,484 registered gun offenders in Chicago, and another 458 people who have been notified they have to register, but haven’t yet.

Given the city’s historic rise in gun violence, Burke and other aldermen thought the number of people registered as gun offenders should be much higher.

“That defies — how could that be?” Burke asked.

Boehmer said she’d look into it.

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Aldermen were also surprised to learn police get notified via a carbon paper when sex and gun offenders are released from prison.

Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd Ward, said the city needs “modern notification from this century,” such as email.